May 7, 2010

Again, for the Inquirer, it seems that the most important election news today are the surveys.



I am sure the Inquirer knows what it is doing. I am sure they know that surveys are important as a marketing tool. TV giants GMA7 and ABS-CBN both use surveys to prove they are the leading stations. Even the Inquirer themselves use surveys to prove that they are the leading newspaper. Now in their front page, the Inquirer says Aquino is the runaway leading candidate while Binay is quickly on the rise (Binay ties Roxas; Aquino pulls away. Legarda rating dives 12 points in SWS survey.). There is something wrong with you if you don't still get the message. The Inquirer is simply saying: vote for Aquino, and you might want to consider Binay too!

And may I mention it again:. Hard as I try to shout and tell our listeners in our program Sentro ng Katotohanan (DWBL-AM, 1242KHz, TTh 8.30-9.30PM) not to vote based on surveys but instead on credentials, only a simple wink-wink by the elite media drowns everything that we said and done so far. That is their power. The question is how they are using it.

Needless to say, the main headlines today benefit Aquino and Binay tremendously.

The news on NoEl (Palace: No meetings for ‘No-El,’ only on security) seems neutral to Presidential candidates although it is noted that a few Nacionalista senatorial bets are given space. Of course, it borders on the negative for the Arroyo administration.

Still there are news on the PCOS, New PCOS test results ‘perfect’ and If machines fail, teachers not ready for manual count. I think the first news is entirely positive for the COMELEC, while the second one is slightly negative to the commission.

As we were saying the past two days, Maceda's pronouncement regarding Estrada as the administration's last hope seems confusing and cannot give a positive proposition for his candidate. Today, the LP capitalized on it while Estrada rebounded from the said news (Estrada scolds Maceda; LP warns of ‘Arroyo option’). I say this news piece favors Aquino and Estrada as well. The news also astutely reminds us as to who again the "real" Arroyo candidate is:

He cited as an example the falling survey numbers of Nacionalista Party (NP) standard-bearer Senator Manuel Villar, who had been rumored early in the campaign season to be Ms Arroyo’s “secret candidate” and not administration candidate Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro. The Villar and Arroyo camps had denied forging an alliance.

Another news on the PCOS problems (Villanueva, Estrada ask Comelec: Postpone polls) again had Estrada favored (although the title does not connect with the contents especially on the Estrada side), as well as Villanueva by a bit, with their names being mentioned. A senatorial candidate, Hontiveros, mouthing the LP camps usual stand in the issue is also given space, giving it a bit of positive favor for the Aquino candidacy.

There is news today about Villar's celebrity endorser, Willie Revillame (‘Wowowee’ without Revillame; he threatens to quit unless… ), which seems to be neutral to the candidates as there are no mention of them.

Finally, there is a feature today on Senator Aquino (BENIGNO SIMEON C. AQUINO III : What’s important is I see problem and solve it) which seems to be a blatant endorsement of the Senator. The writer even manages to include his own personal opinion as part of headline material:

His opponents claimed that he would be unmasked in the presidential debates, but Aquino appeared intelligent, well-prepared and poised in these forums and was never the one to pass up on answering a thorny issue such as the Hacienda Luisita case and doubts on his state of mental health. He was modest, warm, folksy and appreciative when meeting people in motorcades and town rallies far from the cold and snotty hacendero he was pictured to be by his foes.

In fact, the writer even attest to what the senator is during his mothers presidency, in defense of his lackluster performance wherever he was:

But what the public did not know was Aquino’s role in his mother’s administration, when, as a 26-year-old, he became the confidante of his mother who was learning on the job how to fend off coup plotters, opportunists and backstabbers in the Palace.

Amazingly, he is now even the former President's Security Manager according to the Inquirer writer!

Aquino was hands-on in managing the security of his mother, especially after he took five bullets in one of the military uprisings staged by then Col. Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan just 18 months into his mother’s term (this event fueled his fascination for guns and military hardware).

And if that is not yet the joke of the season, the writer even attest again and took Aquino's word saying Noynoy is policy adviser to his mother!!!

President Aquino constantly turned to her son for his personal take on policy reforms and proposed deals which was why he has become adept in doing research on his own, a trait he would carry in the elections.

I can imagine the writer salivating in utter appreciation of his idol while writing the piece as he say Aquino is "deep":

The campaign period showed how meticulous and precise Aquino was in preparing for his speeches, debates and campaign rallies. Over the last eight months, Aquino said he had spent his free time and rest days soaking up on issues.

He does not go for off-the-cuff remarks, he thinks deeply before answering any question. He rarely answers with a yes or a no as he makes sure that the audience gets his answer in the proper context.

The writer, Mr. Gil Cabacungan really cannot hold himself in praise of Aquino whom he says interacts with children like "second nature":

In between sorties, Aquino gave a glimpse of his playful side, especially with the children whom he interacts with like it was his second nature. His eyes brighten up whenever a child approaches him and he lets their guard down by immediately asking them: “Who’s your playmate?”

Aquino is even deeply concerned about his nephews:

During late-night coffee sessions, Aquino regaled his friends and reporters with his funny anecdotes on the games he played with his nephews, Joshua and Baby James (sons of Kris), and how he always kept tabs on their schedule and their appetite.

A simple couple with his girlfriend:

Aquino, however, clams up when asked whether he would marry Valenzuela City Councilor Shalani Soledad. He has met her sparingly throughout the campaign, probably to emphasize that he has his priorities set. They are not a showy couple and the most personal gesture they displayed in public during the campaign was when Soledad fixed Aquino’s disheveled hair on stage in a rally in her city.

and someone who is rich but had his feet firmly on ground:

Aquino might have grown up with the who’s who of the country’s richest families and political shakers, but his feet are clearly on the ground as attested to by the company he keeps and the types of jokes he makes. “Wanna buy watch, Joe” is a standard punch line in his campaign spiels and the joke is lost on the predominantly youthful crowd.

Now that I am reading the news near its end, I am convinced that the writer is even totally aroused by his own praise of Aquino declaring that this candidate is destined to win the election, which Aquino humble as himself might be the last to admit:

With the confluence of events at this stage of his life—his mother’s death, his reluctance to run, his sudden jump to the top of the presidential surveys, and his continued stay at the top despite the deluge of black propaganda—even Aquino could not help but feel a sense of destiny in his presidential run not unlike her mother’s fate.

I am not sure if the writer is still working for the Inquirer or perhaps he is already working for Aquino. I do not know if it is fair, but I can even score today's Inquirer front page to be twice for Aquino than any other issue. Indeed, reading through the headlines today I cannot even be sure if I am actually reading a newspaper or an Aquino campaign newsletter!

The score now:
Aquino: 13
Estrada: 2
Villanueva: 1
Madrigal: 1
Teodoro: 1
Villar: 1
Perlas: 1
Delos Reyes: 0
Gordon: 0